In light of a health alert issued for the Wedgewood community by the Florida Department of Health last week, Escambia County's Play, Learn, Grow summer camp will move from the Wedgewood Community Center.

The camp will relocate Monday to Brownsville Community Center at 3100 W. DeSoto St. after monitoring at the Wedgewood Center revealed elevated levels of hydrogen sulfide in the air, a byproduct of the nearby landfills and borrow pits.

The move is being called a "precautionary measure," and Escambia County spokesman Pearson said children attending the Wedgewood center were never under threat of illness from the levels of air pollution.

"From the Health Department's perspective, it was not a high number to where it would have an immediate impact," Pearson said. "But it would pose a threat if you were exposed to it for years at a time. It's not like the kids were going to get ill being outside on the playground for an hour, but now that we've got the data it's just out of precaution that we move the kids to a facility that we've got ready to go."

But Wedgewood residents say it's just one more problem brought on by the long overlooked pits, and that the county's move comes only as a reactionary measure to the recent publicity the pits have gotten.

"It's something that's been an ongoing problem," said All Faith Community Church pastor Hosea Moultrie. "The reason they're just now moving it is because we're starting to shed some light on that pit and put pressure on them. But this has been going on for years."

Play, Learn, Grow is a county-funded summer activity and food program. Pearson said about 70 children ages 5 to 14 attended Wedgewood center program each day during the week.

Play, Learn, Grow programs are also hosted at the Dorrie Miller Community Center, the Ebonwood/Oakcrest Community Center and the Calvary Christian Center.

Now though, parents of Wedgewood attendees will have to transport their children 6 miles south if they hope to attend the program's final three weeks at the Brownsville center.

PLAY, LEARN, GROW

The program will run through Aug 8, at the various times and locations listed below: